Installing attachment loops for a rear facing car seat (Skoda, VW, Seat, Audi)

In today’s video we show in detail how to install attachment loops for a rear facing seat. Probably the most boring video of the year on Youtube but the loops save lots of time and frustration. Go to the end of the post to skip all the small details. But what exactly are attachment loops and why are they helpful? Which cars have attachment loops as standard? Are loops more necessary in some cars? Can you use two tether straps in the same loop? Crash testing?

This video shows installation in back seat of a Skoda Enyaq which is identical to VW/Seat/Audi. Detailed video with installation of loops in both Tesla Model Y and Model 3 coming next week.

Installation is easy to do yourself but not everyone has the necessary tools. Over the past 15 years we have installed hundreds of loops and know how to do it and in what cars. Attachment loops are not a must but simplify everyday life with rear facing seats. We charge a modest 30 EUR for the installation and (subjectively) think that it is a tiny investment considering that most new cars today cost 400k+.

In the Nordics we often use fantastic rear facing seats installed with the car’s belt that can handle tall kids, are Plustested and can handle incredibly high loads. Some good examples are Axkid Minikid 3/4/4 Pro/4 Max, Axkid Movekid, BeSafe Stretch, Klippan Opti 129 and Britax Max-Safe Pro/Safe-Way M which all have a max. weight of 36 kg.

These seats use tether straps which are attached under front seat. The straps are there to hold the car seat back when it bounces back after a collision. Seats installed with Isofix do not use tether straps and instead a bar (ARB or Anti Rebound Bar) which limits rebound. However, the bar has limited capacity and there are none that can handle a max. weight of more than 23 kg. Most seats handle significantly less weight.

To make installation with tether straps easy attachment loops can be placed at back of seat rails. Volvo is the only car today with attachment loops as standard in all cars. Both front and rear. Saab also had loops before they went bankrupt. It’s possible to attach tether straps without loops in 100% of all cars. It may look impossible but is usually easy. Over the years, we have installed thousands of seats and therefore have experience that is highly unusual.

In 2025, an ISO standard for attachment loops has been added to the R129 regulation. This means that within a couple of years, attachment  loops will be included with the seat and/or car. These loops don’t look the same and are installed differently. More details at a later date.

Because our rear facing seats with attachment straps last a long time and are so incredibly safe, we want more people using them to save lives. The small and relatively unknown Swedish group TK 242 is behind the introduction of attachment loops in the R129 regulation. It’s this small group that dictate Swedish child safety in cars and, for example, decides how long car seats should be used, when they should be replaced after a collision, and handle safety-related problems with stores, manufacturers, and others.

Perhaps most importantly, we are also responsible for Plus Test, the world’s most difficult standard for car seats, together with VTI in Linköping. I keep saying “we” because I have been very active in the group for 15+ years.

Parents find it very difficult to install tether straps which can seen in questions we receive and also by frustration in various forums online. You can generally say that it’s straightforward to install straps in all cars without loops, but it’s  very difficult and impractical in Tesla. They have spacious cars that work well with children. But the lack of loops causes major problems. It is common for parents to collect their car from Tesla store in Huddinge (south of Stockholm) and then come directly to us for installation of loops when they quickly realise it’s not possible to install the seat correctly.

So what to do when two or more rear-facing seats are installed next to each other? How much force can the loops handle? Parents are unaware, but in many cars you can install two or more rear-facing seats next to each other. Then two seats share the same fastening loop/rail and it works fine.

We usually install loops under rails, but when crash testing it’s done on top of rails. It’s not as strong, and loops bend upwards in a crash due to the high loads, but this is acceptable. The loops in R129 are tested to 5 KN, which means that they can handle two straps in one loop.

Installation of loops is simple. They are attached at the rear of seat rails, at the front in when using passenger seat, and allow the car’s seats to slide back and forth without issues while also making it very quick to install/remove seats with tether straps.

Which loops should be used? Today’s car is a Skoda Enyaq which has the same base as Volkswagen, Seat and Audi. There we always install extra long loops in the back and long loops (or sometimes short) at the front. In these cars we always install loops under rails in the rear seat. With front seat installation one of the loops is installed on top of rail and the other under.  Tesla is an exception and attachment loops are always installed on top of rails.  In both front and rear.

It’s possible to install loops in most cars but often unnecessary. For example, we never install loops in Kia, Nissan, Ford, Renault, Honda, Toyota, Lexus, Peugeot, Citroen and many others because it’s simply not needed.

Installation can be summarised in four parts

1. Select the right tool: We have a set of Torx and can handle all cars. It is important that the correct socket is used, otherwise the bolt can be trashed and destroyed. We then use a ratchet handle to loosen and tighten the bolt. It’s also helpful to have a screwdriver available. Forces required are minor.  Even a vegan environmentalist can handle it. When bolt is tightened we use a digital torque wrench to get the right force. More on this below.

2. Loosen the bolt: With the right socket, the bolt is easily loosened and can often be quickly unscrewed by hand.

3. Place loops under rail: As described above, we place loops under rails in VW/Skoda/Seat/Audi. Use a screwdriver to lift seat rail a few millimeters and slide loop in place.  Loops can also be placed on top of rails but it doesn’t look as nice and is also less solid.

4. Tighten the bolt: Slide the loop in place and screw the bolt in by hand so it’s threaded correctly. Then continue and use the ratchet handle with the same socket as before. Now we want to tighten the bolt using a torque wrench. We prefer the digital model but an analog one will work just as well. This tool is used to make sure forces on the bolt are correct.  An inexperienced user could theoretically tighten the bolt loosely or so tightly that the bolt breaks. When you have played around and serviced motorcycles, snowmobiles, tractors, cars, bicycles, boats, lawnmowers, chainsaws and more you have a pretty good feel for correct force and a torque wrench can feel a bit unnecessary. However, we recommend to always use one.

Done! As you can see, installing attachment loops is not rocket science. If you have any questions about loops, installation or anything else, please contact us via email, chat, phone, Instagram or Facebook.